After searching for years in the Central Coast for the perfect spot, we discovered Refugio Ranch in the Santa Ynez Valley in 2005. The land was untouched, having been a cattle grazing ranch for the past few hundred years. We immediately brought the PhD “dirt docs” down from Napa who, after careful analysis of the soils and microclimate, indicated Refugio Ranch was perfectly suited for growing Rhone varietals and Sauvignon Blanc. This resulted in our planting 15 blocks on 26 of the most prime acres of our 415-acre ranch.